Talking Talmud

A series of stories about Rabbi Yehoshua ben Haninah interacting with Roman officers, conversing with the Caesar, etc. Some of these stories need unpacking and investigation: including God as described as a lion (Amos). Plus, the lion whose roar pulled down the walls of Rome (and caused its women to miscarry). All of which points to the power residing with God, and not the Caesar. Also, how God co...

What are kosher animals? What are non-kosher animals? That is, from the signs listed in the Torah for domesticated and non-domesticated animals -- such as split cloven hooves and chewing its cud (for the former category). Ditto re birds -- excluding predator birds, where the forbidden ones are listed explicitly (or perhaps for the sake of deriving a general rule). Likewise for the few kosher creep...

What is the status of a treyfa animal after it has been declared a treyfa? For example if a hen is deemed a treyfa, what is the story with her eggs, for example? It will depend on whether the "father" of the eggs was also a treyfa, if the eggs were unfertilized, and the timing of when the eggs began growing (before or after the treyfa status). Also, worms in a melon when it grows from th...

If a bird has a dislocated femur, the bird is nonetheless kosher. But it seems that the same sage said that it was not kosher - in Pompedita, leading to an observation that different stringencies applied in different communities. One element of the decision being where the break occurs in the bird's leg. [Who's Who: Rabbi Shimon bar Halafta] Also, efforts to demonstrate that an animal that...

2 mishanyot! 1 - A list of injuries or damage that render birds to be treyfot -- including a weasel that hits the bird on its head. With an apparent 24-hour testing ground to see if the animal will recover, at which point, it will be considered kosher. Also, how much of the bird would turn green in the internal organs if it were scorched for it to be a treyfa? Plus, the story of Rabbi Yehoshua ben...

What happens when there are injuries or defects in the lung can be benign when it's in the kidney. But when it's fine in the lung, does that mean it's automatically find in the kidney? But really, each kind of ailment or injury is specific to that same organ, because there's no guarantee that it won't be a problem in a different one. Also, the case of a "shriveled lung&quo...

Investigating (final?) details about what makes an animal a treyfa - in terms of injuries. Is there a rule of thumb, or is the list of what makes an animal a treyfa complete, in terms of listing all the possibilities? But then the Gemara walks back the question... Also, a new mishnah! On how much damage can be done to the trachea (and other body parts), and the animal remains kosher. Plus, a compa...

When a kosher animal is clawed by a non-kosher animal - when do we take it as a given that it will be considered a treyfa -- or really to the contrary? What if the animal is a cat? Or a fox? Or a hawk? Why is the question what animal did the clawing, as compared to asking what damage has been caused? Plus, determining what happened to the clawed animal, when nothing was really seen. Where the claw...

A majority of broken ribs -- seems to be a treyfa. But what is the way in which they were broken? Does having been attached to the vertabrae make the process that much more challenging? If the ribs are dislocated and the spine is not damaged. Also, an animal that is clawed by a wolf (or a predator of that size or larger) will render the victim animal a treyfa (and predator birds from a "netz....

If/when an animal falls from a roof -- if it breaks its limbs, the question shifts to focus on whether the injury is common (like rheumatism) or unusual, like a broken spine. And the concern here is only for the common case. Also, a bird that fundamentally crashes on water is considered fine if it can swim the length of its body -- upstream. Plus, what if a bird falls into all kinds of other subst...

Perforated intestines are likely to be sealed by internal mucous, which would leave the animal kosher. The Gemara then traces Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel's statement on this point - namely, that it would be kosher. And Rabbi Shimon's view on mourning -- that a mourner who first hears about the death late will join the count with the family that is sitting shiva if he is close enough to join t...

If there's a perforation in the 4th stomach of a cow, the kohanim were accustomed to treat it as permitted. Which leads to lots of discussion and tracing back. With a mnemonic about the blessing of the kohanim. And that blessing pertaining specifically to the meat. Also, the implications of the forbidden fat -- in contrast to the permitted fat. Plus, what if the impetus to be lenient puts othe...

The unusual kashrut halakhic question that was brought from Asia Minor to the land of Israel for an answer. And they repeated the question: whether an animal that had worms in its liver would be kosher or not. Finally, they were told that it was kosher. What about if a needle was found in a lung? Doesn't that render the animal not-kosher/a treyfa? A case of this is brought to explain why it&#3...

Rulings by Rava: Issues of the lungs, specifically with regard to the lobes. Plus, Meimar, who answers the halakhic questions differently from Rava. Until the Gemara establishes that their answers pertain to different cases -- regarding the lobes. The sages are very precise here in their examination of the different concerns. Also, the implications of various colors -- dark grey (kosher) vs. black...

The Gemara moves on to the mishnah''s case of an animal that was missing a liver -- which is surely a treyfa -- but what if an olive's worth remained? That seems to define the animal as a kosher animal. But less than a "kezayit" amount of the liver seems that it would get that treyfa distinction. Also, 4 rulings - listed with a mnemonic. Including the case of creepy crawlies...

A review of injuries to various body parts and the implications for a kosher shechitah. Note the sages' awareness of the animals' anatomy. After all, they did open these animals up and were able to discern their inner workings. Note also the sages' verbal descriptions of the visual/physical. Also, a deeper dive into the potential perforation of the heart -- and which chamber of the hea...

An investigation into an acceptance of the stringencies of Rav and the stringencies of Shmuel when it comes to the details of shechitah, including the location of where one begins the process of slaughtering. But taking the stringencies of both sages, instead of following either of them for the full gamut of their respective views, seems incongruous in its inconsistency. Plus, the bat kol (heavenl...

Ulla says that there 8 groups of treyfot that were told to Moses at Sinai - that is, the categories. Plus a focus on a punctured gallbladder, among other potential issues, where the animal may actually not die (but isn't that a miraculous event, and therefore not a proof for anything?). Also, a focus on some kind of injury for an animal that might or might not make the animal a treyfa -- with...

Chapter 3! A focus on the slaughtering of kosher animals -- and what makes an animal kosher (as compared to a treyfa, which is a kosher kind of animal, but some blemish prevents it from being kosher upon shechitah). Which is to say: a new mishnah -- that lists 18 "defects" that make an animal a treyfa in detail - and then because of the animal's status, the shechitah cannot be kosher...

2 mishnayot! The first one includes the details about a non-believing Jew who participates in shechitah, and whether that shechitah would be kosher. And the mishnah is preceded by Gemara that includes a discussion of a Jewish apostate. The mishnah includes what manner of disposing of the blood of kosher shechitah are acceptable and which are problematic because they smack of idolatry. The second m...

A new mishnah! One who slaughters an animal in the name of worship of natural bodies (mountains, rivers, seas, etc.), then the slaughtering is not kosher shechitah. Even if two people are doing the slaughtering together and one of them has correct "kosher" intent, the shechitah is still not valid. But it's also not fully idolatry either - except for a beraita that presents comparable...

If one slaughters an animal with intent to use the blood for idolatrous purposes, is the rest of the animal forbidden for any benefit or not? Yes, it's a machloket. With hypothetical parallels to pigul. Unless you think nothing in the Temple can be used to infer halakhic details for that which does not pertain to the Temple service. Also, a husband who writes a bill of divorce that was written...

An animal that is close to death demonstrates its vitality by some form of movement. Of course, the degree and nature of movement is subject to dispute. Also, a new mishnah - if/when one slaughters an animal for a non-Jew, that shechitah should be kosher, depending on the idolatry factor.

A new mishnah! Establishing the category of an animal that is close to death (misukenet) -- in contrast to a treyfa, where it becomes clear that the animal had something wrong internally and would likely have died within the year. This case is an animal that is weak, not damaged internally. Thus, signs of vitality during shechitah become essential, to be certain that the animal didn't die of i...

Another baraita on the impact of blood on - in this case, a gourd of terumah - in terms of making it susceptible to impurity. Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi and Rabbi Hiyya have a debate about that. Of course, if there is blood and shechitah on the gourd throughout the process, that would render the gourd susceptible to impurity. But perhaps not if the process itself were interrupted. Also, Resh Lakish pose...